Reason for Smiley face: Guard Justin Smiley eager to make most of fresh start with Jaguars

Veteran says he feels wanted, wants to show Jags they made the right choice

Jaguars guard Justin Smiley goes through a practice session during organized team activities Thursday. "I feel like I've had a rebirth and a new start," Smiley says of his trade from the Dolphins to the Jaguars. "I feel like I'm 21 again."

Guard Justin Smiley is used to seeing Jacksonville from his car window, except when his teams have played the Jaguars.

"I grew up in Savannah, so I've driven through here a million times, but I've never stopped really," he said.

Now he's not only stopped, he's going to be playing for the Jaguars, and he couldn't be more excited after his two-year stint in Miami ended on a down note.

The Dolphins told him 10 weeks ago not to report for the offseason conditioning program, so he was in limbo until the Jaguars stepped up this week and offered the Dolphins a conditional seventh-round pick for him.

After participating in his first practice for the Jaguars Thursday, Smiley talked about how he wants to show the Jaguars they made a good move to bring him in.

"It's a fresh start for me," Smiley said. "I'm really excited. I feel like I need to run through brick walls. I'm really loving what I see here. They came after me. They made me feel wanted. That was a big deal for me. I feel like I've had a rebirth and a new start. I feel like I'm 21 again."

The Jaguars could have waited for Smiley to be cut by the Dolphins, but they decided to give up the draft pick for him. Smiley was impressed the Jaguars would give up a pick for him.

"The idea that these guys came in and said, 'Hey, we want you bad enough to give up a pick [was important to him].' Picks are hard to come by. It makes me feel very grateful to the organization for getting the opportunity," Smiley said.

Smiley's favorite position is left guard, but he said he'll do whatever the Jaguars ask him to do.

"If they want me to play left tackle, I will try. I'd be like a dog in a meat shop out there. They wouldn't want that. I'm a humble servant. I just want to play football at a place that wants me," Smiley said.

The Dolphins, who gave him a five-year $25 million contract in 2008, decided he didn't fit into their plans this year.

Smiley thinks his fate was sealed when he missed a game with an injury last season, and Nate Garner stepped into his position and played well.

"[Garner] was making shy of $500,000, and he's very talented, and they're paying somebody a whole lot of money [Smiley will make $3 million this year, although he restructured his deal for a cut in the final two years], and they think they can get the job done with somebody cheaper. You see that a million times," Smiley said.

Still, it was frustrating for Smiley when the Dolphins called and told him to stay away. He even he fired his agent and hired Drew Rosenhaus because he said Smiley didn't think his former agent was being aggressive enough.

Smiley figures to start if he can stay healthy, but he's not taking anything for granted. He said he's competing for a job for the first time in his career.

When he was drafted in the second round by San Francisco in 2004, he started nine games as a rookie and all 16 the next two years. And Miami signed him as a free agent in 2008 to start.

"I've got to compete now," Smiley said. "You run your fastest when somebody is chasing you. I think this is going to be my first taste at real competition as far as competing for a job. I think it's going to bring the best out of me and the best out of the other guys, too."

Kynan Forney currently holds the left guard spot, but the interior positions are in a state of flux. Uche Nwaneri is starting at right guard, but he can play center if Brad Meester falters. And veteran Vince Manuwai is still in the mix.

Smiley has a lot of respect for Forney and said he thinks the Jaguars have a better group of interior linemen than the Dolphins do.

uuummm, unless Im mistaken (which I doubt), Iwuh is no longer on the Jaguars...
Im pretty sure if there was a player we'd want to trade, for a player another team wanted to trade, it'da been done.
Why do we think we know everything that happens inside all of these buildings?

It's hard to soar with the eagles when you're working with a bunch of turkeys

44 points

dafish

Friday, May 28, 2010 @ 7:15 am

That's fair, Billy Joe. Good takes. Although we played a lot of rookies last year, there really is little difference between a 7th rounder and an undrafted free agent rookie. I too question the draft but I see it as a long term fix and quite honestly this draft overall was weak in skill players (QB, RB, WR, LB). We've played the "one player away" trick before and it hasn't gotten us anything.